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Driver's licenses for undocumented benefit citizens too: Nava

Asbury Park Press
Published 5:15 p.m. ET May 16, 2018

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Silvia Martinez was one of scores of unauthorized immigrants and allies who packed the Snyder Academy in Elizabeth on Jan. 11, 2017, for the launch of the "Let's Drive NJ" campaign. The initiative pushes for a law that allows immigrants, regardless of status, to apply for a driver's license.
Steph Solis

Measure (A4425), which would establish a drivers license for residents who cannot prove they are living in the U.S. legally.(Photo: Digital Collections/IPTC)

When driving, the goal is to get to your destination safely. Nothing else matters. Everyone wants to get home without harm. And in the event of an accident, we want all parties involved to be insured.

Legislation allowing New Jersey residents — regardless of immigration status — to be tested, trained, licensed, insured, and accountable for their driving record should be seen as an opportunity to improve road safety for all and not as an erroneous privilege for some.

Think about it. When you are driving, does it matter where the person driving next to you was born? It shouldn’t, so long as they know how to drive and are adequately insured in case there’s an accident. But until undocumented drivers have an opportunity to be properly tested and licensed, we cannot make those assumptions.

The May 14 column by Asbury Park Press editorial page editor Randy Bergmann, "Equity for undocumented inequitable for citizens," fails to realize that undocumented immigrants already drive alongside us on New Jersey’s roads and highways. Bergmann gives three reasons for opposing an expansion of driver’s license eligibility: security, fraud, and equity. It is for these same reasons that New Jersey should expand access to driver’s licenses, as it will make our roads more secure, protect against fraud, and ensure all drivers are treated fairly under the law.

For New Jerseyans who care about safe and secure roads, denying undocumented immigrants proper identification is counterproductive. Unless all drivers have a license, how can law enforcement definitively identify drivers they pull over or come in contact with at the scene of an accident? And in the case of an accident, licensed drivers are more likely to cooperate with police, as there is less incentive for a driver to flee from the scene. These problems are less likely to exist in states where all who drive — regardless of status — have licenses, which is precisely why New Jersey should join 12 states and Washington, D.C., in expanding driver’s license eligibility.

The Department of Motor Vehicle would require official documents to prove age, name and residence that would be verified to obtain a limited license for driving an identification purpose. These limited licenses would not be accepted as adequate ID to get on an airplane, obtain benefits or verify employment credentials.

To insinuate that undocumented immigrants are being treated the same as citizens, when in fact they will be getting a different license, is inaccurate and dangerously misleading. To be clear, if this policy becomes law, undocumented immigrants would have to take the same written and driving test as U.S. citizens, but would only be issued a limited license. What about this is unfair to citizens?

Finally, the column enforces an “us-versus-them” mentality that falsely presumes U.S. citizens must be losing their rights if undocumented immigrants are granted access to driver’s licenses. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The fear of the “other” is being used to further marginalize people who are already on the edges of American society.

Bergmann is correct that being a U.S. citizen does mean something; it means we have values to treat others with dignity and respect. Undocumented immigrants are our neighbors, and they already share the road with us, like it or not. While we may not all agree on federal immigration policies, that should not stop us from coming together in supporting expanded access to driver’s licenses, as it will make our roads safer for us all.